Council Considers $39.6 Million Town Budget

How to best spend the taxpayers' money is the main agenda item at a special meeting of the Payson Town Council Thursday. The meeting begins at 6 p.m., Aug. 3, in the council's chambers, 303 N. Beeline Highway.

The town's proposed budget for the coming fiscal year is $39,557,617, which includes an expected $5.3 million carry over from this year's budget.

One of the biggest ticket items on the budget is an $8 million expenditure that Chief Financial Officer Glenn Smith calls "theoretical."

"There's $8 million included in the water fund that may never be used," Smith said.

"That money is plugged in as a contingency in the event that we strike water on the national forest," Town Manager Rich Underkofler said. "This would be a deal to finance the cost of a pipeline, pumping stations and storage tanks."

Also on the budget is a $5.4 million expenditure for what officials call the most ambitious street budget in the town's history. That program includes the town's goal to eliminate all dirt roads within town limits, beginning with the paving of Doll Baby Ranch Road from the Payson Golf Course to just past the Northern Gila County Sanitary District.

Taxes

Two additional items on the council's agenda deal with the primary and secondary taxes.

During the first hearing, council will hear public comment on the primary tax, which is expected to provide $336,800 in revenues, at a rate of $0.3167 per $100 of assessed valuation.

The secondary tax which was approved by voters in 1992 to fund the Green Valley Park project is currently set at $0.1210 per $100 of net assessed amount of full cash value. That amount is subject to change when the town receives the final financial worksheet from the Gila County finance director.

Both primary and secondary taxes are scheduled for adoption by the council at its Aug. 10 meeting.